Legal translation is the very specific and complex field of translating legal text into other languages. What makes it so difficult is the fact that most texts cannot be translated verbatim but rather need to be translated in its entirety, taking note of the culture of the original text and making sure that this comes through in the translated text.
Legal translators are often called upon to translate legal documents such as contracts but are also called upon to translate witness testimony in court. This form of translation is especially difficult as the translator needs to quickly and accurately translate the testimony and questions asked without adding any of his/her own interpretations. In these cases, both the original and translated testimony will be recorded and should discrepancies arise, legal translators can review the text at a later stage.
Another common form of legal translation is corporate translation. In this case large companies will employ business translators to translate their contracts into the different languages of their customers. In these instances, the translator will read through the text, consulting legal dictionaries and principles to ensure that the translated text does not change the scope of the contract. Due to the importance of these translations, large businesses will employ a translation service agency to ensure that the translators are the most highly skilled and qualified.
Medical translation is another important field of translation and involves translating technical, regulatory or medical documentation. Most countries require that the labelling and literature associated with medical devices and pharmaceuticals be sold in the national language(s). Healthcare translation is an especially technical field of translation due to the highly regulated nature of medical texts and the specific subject matter knowledge required by the translator.
Legal translators have to be certified as translators and often have high levels of understanding of both language and law but to ensure that you receive the best possible service, it is recommended that a translation service agency is used whenever legal texts need to be translated.
